Nike’s continued growth in Cambodia underscores the level of political and labor repression the company has been willing to tolerate in countries that provide inexpensive labor.
The real issue here is that neither Nike nor almost anyone else in this sphere owns a factory. It’s all contract work. So Nike, H&M, whoever, says ‘I need 1 million black t shirts’ and they put it out to bid. Manufacturers from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, etc. Bid on it and Nike goes with the lowest bid that meets their standard of quality. Workers are paid by the month, not by the piece. Currently the wage in Cambodia, is $208, for six days a week.
If that is not acceptable to you then change your buying habits.
That’s both true and also shifting the blame to the consumer. We should have stronger regulation that is enforceable. Not going to happen in the Trumposphere but nice to think about.
It’s kind of like how we should all think globally and act locally.
It’s vote with your dollars, which does in a sense shift blame to the consumer.
This doesn’t have anything to do with trump though, its been going on forever. There will always be rich countries and poor countries. Poor countries provide labor for the rich.
The better argument to make is that $208 is higher than the average wage in the country for unskilled labor. That doesn’t make it right, and it looks like shit when you break it down to ‘I paid $45 for this shirt, and that’s one of the 209 shirts that person made on Tuesday’.
The real issue here is that neither Nike nor almost anyone else in this sphere owns a factory. It’s all contract work. So Nike, H&M, whoever, says ‘I need 1 million black t shirts’ and they put it out to bid. Manufacturers from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, etc. Bid on it and Nike goes with the lowest bid that meets their standard of quality. Workers are paid by the month, not by the piece. Currently the wage in Cambodia, is $208, for six days a week.
If that is not acceptable to you then change your buying habits.
That’s both true and also shifting the blame to the consumer. We should have stronger regulation that is enforceable. Not going to happen in the Trumposphere but nice to think about.
It’s kind of like how we should all think globally and act locally.
It’s vote with your dollars, which does in a sense shift blame to the consumer.
This doesn’t have anything to do with trump though, its been going on forever. There will always be rich countries and poor countries. Poor countries provide labor for the rich.
The better argument to make is that $208 is higher than the average wage in the country for unskilled labor. That doesn’t make it right, and it looks like shit when you break it down to ‘I paid $45 for this shirt, and that’s one of the 209 shirts that person made on Tuesday’.
Yeah. Valid points, all. Looking at cost of living vs income is always important as well.